Octopus

From the July 1949 issue of Popular Science Monthly.View of the Octopus from atop the Ferris Wheel, circa 1954.

After a fire swept across the west side of Lagoon’s midway in November 1953, the park’s management worked quickly to rebuild the park in time for the next season. The “New Lagoon” opened on May 8th with several new rides and attractions. Among the new rides were the Tilt-A-Whirl, Spook House and three Eyerly rides: Rock-O-Plane, Roll-O-Plane and Octopus.

Aerial view of Octopus in its original location. Photo courtesy of Deseret News1954 postcard showing the Octopus next to the Spook House (left).

The Octopus was first installed near the west entrance, but wouldn’t have been there for much more than a year. A new Fun House began construction in that spot in 1955 and was completed two years later. Octopus was moved to a spot south of the Carousel and east of Roller Coaster as seen in this short film clip from 1970.¹

Lagoon’s Octopus was somewhat unique because it had two tubs at the end of each arm instead of one like most models. Here’s what one former employee remembers of the ride:

“…the Octopus was the best ‘puker’ on the park. The summer I worked there, ride operators kept a running tally with little hash marks indicating how many people had come to grief.”

Octopus in its second location south of Carousel, some time around the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Deseret News

By 1972 the Octopus moved southward, taking the place of the old Whip ride and creating more space on the Midway between it and the Carousel.

1972 aerial view showing the Octopus in its third location. Photo courtesy of Deseret NewsOctopus in 1973. Photo: The JetStar2 Archive

Octopus was removed by the end of the 1970s and soon the Carousel Stage took its place. The stage expanded over the years until it became the Carousel Theater that exists today.

View from the top of the Rockets in early 1980. The stage replaced the Octopus and is now the location of the Carousel Theater. Photo courtesy of Deseret News